Food Forest Podcast

Peter Bane, permaculture elder and founder of Permaculture Activist, shares 30+ years of experience building eco-villages and intentional communities across North America. He explores the real-life challenges of communal living – from finances and conflict to intergenerational collaboration – and why permaculture works best when people and place come first.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Pippa Chapman, RHS-trained gardener and permaculture designer, about her journey from conventional, manicured gardens to wild, productive food forests. Pippa explains how permaculture gardens can stay resilient in drought, what it’s like to design forest gardens on private estates, and how awards and recognition have helped her share regenerative ideas more widely. She also talks about balancing beauty, productivity, play, and family life in real gardens – and how a hopeful vision, plus a willingness to learn from mistakes, can transform both landscapes and communities.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Alpha Lo, a leading expert in water cycle restoration, about the deep connection between trees, rainfall, and climate resilience. Alpha explains how restoring the water cycle alongside carbon management is essential for addressing climate change, and how food forests and agroforestry systems can support healthier ecosystems and communities. They also discuss water strategies for the hospitality sector, community-led restoration projects, and the urgent need for collective action in the face of a global water crisis.

In this episode, Laurie and Dan share the story behind Freedom Food Forest, their permaculture project in the UK, and how it has transformed their relationship, their health, and their understanding of freedom. They talk about leaving behind conventional expectations, travelling and learning from indigenous cultures, and slowly building an off-grid, largely self-sufficient lifestyle.

Along the way, they reflect on growing up, healing, and finding purpose through working with the land. Their goal of producing around 80% of their own food becomes a doorway into deeper questions about community, mental health, and what it really means to live freely in today’s world.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger sits down with Andy Dibben, head grower at Abbey Home Farm, to explore what a truly community-focused farm looks like in practice. Andy shares how the farm supplies fresh food for around 800 people every week, integrates trees into vegetable production, and uses agroforestry to build climate-resilient systems.

They talk about the realities behind the numbers – the wins, the risks, and the ongoing experimentation needed to keep both land and business healthy. From biodiversity and perennial crops to wildlife-friendly fields and evolving systems, this conversation offers a grounded, hopeful roadmap for farmers and eaters who want a more sustainable food future.

Host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Elspeth Hay, author of Feed Us With Trees, about humanity’s forgotten relationship with perennial food systems. They explore trees as historic staple foods, the resilience of perennials, Indigenous food knowledge, and how reconnecting with tree-based nourishment can reshape our food systems, culture, and sense of belonging.

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In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with water expert Zach Weiss, student of Sepp Holzer and founder of Elemental Ecosystems. They discuss the vital connection between water, land, and community – and how restoring natural water cycles can reverse ecological degradation. Zach explains the importance of designing with water in mind, empowering communities to steward their landscapes, and fostering a new mindset of care, collaboration, and regeneration.

In this episode, host Louis De Jaeger speaks with Scottish food forester Alan Carter, author of A Food Forest in Your Garden and a pioneer of sustainable land use in the north of Scotland. Alan shares lessons from planting over a million trees, discusses the country’s deforestation history, and explores how agroforestry can coexist with traditional farming. He also reveals how small gardens can become abundant forest ecosystems – even in unpredictable climates.

Tara Lynn Hubbard shares her inspiring journey of deepening her connection with nature and championing biodiversity in Florida’s unique ecosystems. She reflects on her work in agritourism, sustainable wildlife management, and the struggles facing the citrus industry, while highlighting the urgent need for rewilding and responsible land stewardship. This episode invites listeners to reconnect with the natural world and take meaningful steps toward protecting and restoring it.

Jerome Osentowski, founder of the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, shares his journey from ski slopes to pioneering indoor food forests and climate battery greenhouses. He reflects on perennial systems, community collaboration, and the vision of a “perennial economy” built on creativity, education, and regenerative livelihoods.